TAA Special: Valentines Day 2003: Blind Dating
by PurplePiplup
Summary: A few days late, but just the same...Never let the Champion Mistress set you up on a blind date. It could be a disaster. Or...Not.


Blind Dating  
Never let the Champion Mistress and her friends set you up on a blind date, and definitely never ask. It could be a disaster or...not.  
_A/N: Okie dokie...As I write this, it's 3:01pm on Tuesday, February 11th, 2003. I've actually got quite a bit of this story done, but can I get it done, along with the new page LayOut at before the 14th? Let us try and see. Now, onward!_

Eevy slammed down backwards on her bed, yawning and stretching. She'd just starting dozing off when her cell phone rang, sending her soaring into the air. She slammed down, having actually lifted off the bed from the sudden jump-start, and moved her hand to the nightstand to stiffly grab the phone.

"Hello," she choked, heaving slightly.

"H-H-Hey, Eevy. It's Chenille. Chenille Farrago. It's...uh...It's been a while."

"Oh. Hey, Chenille. Is something wrong? You don't sound so good."

"Um. C-Could you come over for a bit? I _really_ could use some company and I'd love to have you, Mistress of all Pokemon, see the Eevee again."

"Sure, Chenille. I'll come over right now," she scribbled down the address, "I'll see you in about twenty minutes. Bye," she hung up slowly, "She doesn't sound right..."

*^~^**^~^*

Eevy and Chenille sat in one of the more expensive restaurants in Iris Town (Eevy's treat, but of course). Chenille spun her spoon around in her drink and stared into it. Eevy still hadn't received a reason for her calling.

"You haven't told me what's wrong," she started, clearing her throat a bit before hand, "What's up?"

Chenille suddenly slumped even farther and started whispering, "I've had this really great guy for a long while now," she started, causing Eevy to turn a bit red, but she listened anyway, "Just the other day, he up and basically dumped me. Not even a week to Valentine's Day and he broke up with me. He was so sweet and he was always really nice," she paused, "Until _that_."

"So...What?" Eevy tilted her eyebrow blankly, "That's what you wanted to talk about?"

"In a way. Eevy, you know a lot of people," she leaned almost to have her chin on the table, "Could you...maybe...set me up?"

"What?" Eevy nearly collapsed, "Set you up? Like on a blind date?" Chenille nodded, "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

"No, Eevy. I'm not kidding. Could you please, _please_, hook me up?" Chenille whined and begged, fingers locked in a plea.

Eevy sighed, "I don't guarantee a thing. But let me try something. Close your eyes and relax. I'm going to look through your mind and see what I can find out."

"It won't hurt me, will it?" she looked hesitantly side to side around the room.

"It shouldn't. Let me see," she scanned for snoopy diners and put her hand on Chenille's forehead.

By doing this, Eevy could see what her boyfriend was like, why he broke up with her, what she saw in him, and what she liked in guys. She had a demanding life and a some-what strong need for power and control. Her last boyfriend...Eevy gasped mentally. Bill Masaki; the creator of the Pokemon Storage system and one of Eevy's friends. She dropped her hand and mused for a moment, a name suddenly springing into her head.

"You know..." she started, causing her Chenille's eyes to open, "I think I might know somebody...Yes. I know just the person."

"Really? Who?!" she asked a bit louder than she should have, shrinking lower to avoid the staring people, "Who?" she asked calmly.

"Hey, it's a blind date. I'll tell you when you meet him."

*^~^**^~^*

Eusine yawned wide and nearly toppled over. He'd been up _all night long_ with Marina, babysitting her as "practice" for his own newborn. Mizu was sleeping (lucky dog, he thought) and Marina had _finally_ fallen asleep. He knew _nothing_ about babies. He was two when Morty was born and five when Eevy was. He had no experience, and never cared to learn, until he'd gotten Mizu pregnant. Then he was overly-enthusiastic to know everything he could. Amazing what pressure can do, ne? He'd just slumped into the chair and was just reaching for the TV controls when someone knocked on the front door. He whined to the air around him and nearly burst into tears at the thought of standing again, but stood and went to the door anyway. He smacked his mouth tiredly and opened the door with another wide yawn.

"Well hello to you too," Beth scowled at his yawning.

"Sorry," he brushed his hair back, "Your sister's asleep. And so is Marina."

"Oh," she slouched, "Tell her to call me when she gets the chance then, OK?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Not really," she looked back and smirked nervously, "Just have her call."

"Who's at the door, Eusine?" Mizu came slumping from the bedroom, rubbing her right eye with her right hand and stretching her left arm above her head.

"Your sister," Eusine stepped aside.

"Hey, Beth!" Mizu suddenly zipped into awareness, which was the reason Eusine stepped away; he didn't want to get trampled, as he knew she'd bolt out the door like she did, "What's up, baby sis?"

Muffled crying being heard from inside, Eusine growled and fumed back in the door, around the couch, to the left, through the door, into the bedroom, and nearly bashed himself over the head, "Can't you sleep more than five little minutes? Please? Just once?" he whined down at Marina, "We need _sleep_, kid. Please, _please_, let us get it. Commere, kid," he picked her up and shook his head, "Let's go see Eevy," he snatched the bag Yeeshan kept Marina's things in while muttering, "Then we can take you back with your aunt and uncle."

He passed Mizu on the way out and was about to tell her he was leaving when she basically told him to get out, "Could you go someplace, other than here, for a bit?"

"Well, I love you too," he puffed and just kept walking out, "I was leaving anyway. Taking Marina back to Rainbow Metro."

"That sounds like a nice idea," Mizu caught his arm and kissed his cheek, "Bye. Be good for everyone, Marina."

"Bye, Mizu. See ya', Beth!" he waved slightly and walked out.

Mizu glanced out the window, making sure Eusine was driving over the bridge to Gertan Rin and not Teleporting all the way there from Celadon, and then looked back to her sister, "What's up?" she sat down next to her on the couch.

Beth sighed inwardly, "Mizu," she started and looked off toward the mantle, "I want a boyfriend."

Mizu snickered, then giggled, then laughed hysterically, "W-Wh-What?" she managed to laugh out.

"Thanks a lot," Beth hissed and stood up, starting to leave.

"Woah! Hold on! I'm sorry," Mizu pulled her back and yanked her to sit, "I'm sorry, it's just...What brought this on?"

"It's so close to Valentine's Day...And the more I think of Eevy and Lance, Medira and Jason, Luri and Will...And especially you and Eusine...It gets hard."

"Oh. You're lonely," Mizu shook her head as her sister sighed again, "I can imagine it _does_ tend to get lonely around this time of year. I wouldn't know."

"Yes, I know. You used to find some stupid little lust-bunny to follow you around and make out with you until after Valentine's Day. Then you'd break up with him and find some other unsuspecting dog to take his place," Beth glanced at the now growling Mizu.

"Speak one word of that to Eusine and I'll break your neck," she hissed with narrow eyes, "Look. You stay here and sit and I'll go get some tea or something. Then we'll see what you think."

Mizu stood up and walked away as Beth slumped back in the couch. She reached off to her left onto the end table and picked up a magazine. She started flipping slowly through it, finding it was a pretty old edition of Pokemon S.E.E. It was still interesting, so she just kept reading through it. She found a section on Tracey Sketchit's sketch of Elekid from the Orange Islands and a section on Gertan Rin. The next section really caught her attention. A picture, taken in a place she'd never been, or even heard of, snatched her vision quite quickly. It had been doctored by the photographer. The person who took it was familiar to her; an idol in her photographer's eye. And this person also noted the previously unseen trainer in the photo. Beth shot to her feet and clutched the magazine firmly in both fists.

"Hey, Mizu!" she shrieked in utter delight, ripping a pen and pad from her backpack, "We're going for a little trip!" 

"What?! Where?!" Mizu poked her head out the kitchen, "What are you talking about?!"

"Just come on!" she flipped to the same page in the magazine, scribbling down an address on her pad before chucking the magazine onto the coffee table and jamming the pad back in her pack.

"But where are we going?!" Mizu shrieked as Beth latched onto her wrist and pulled her to the door.

She let go of her wrist and bolted down the street without her, "To find me a boyfriend!" she screamed back from the distance.

"Wait up!" Mizu leaned in the door and grabbed her coat off the hook by the door, "You'd better know what you're doing!"

"Don't worry! I know _exactly_ what I'm doing!" Beth kept running.

"I really do hope so," Mizu ran along behind her, then veering back and running back inside, where she turned the burner under the tea pot off and locked the door after running back out.

*^~^**^~^*

Kayla slammed her head on the wall, attempting to bash her own brains in, "I blew, blew it, blew it!" she kept muttered while continuing her physical mantra.

"Aww. What's th' matta' baby sis'er?" Taylor teased, "Come on. Knock it off before you break a hole in the wall."

"Shut up, scuzz face! Leave me alone!" she swung her left fist out to her side while leaving her forehead on the wall.

"Lost your boyfriend again? Booee hooee hoo hah!" he laughed wildly at her before a pillow met his face, the other side firmly clenched in Kayla's tight fists.

"Bite me, maggot!" she hissed and dropped the pillow on the couch, "I don't see you palling around with any little bimbo!"

The sides of Taylor's mouth went down in a long, drooping frown, "Shut up," he murmured, "Why don't you ask _Eevy_ about somebody? And while you're at it, tell her to come visit me."

"Go polish your Skarmory," she hissed, "Preferably with your own _tongue_. I'll call Eevy, but for _me_, not _you_."

"At least tell her I said hello. And tell her I miss her. And tell her I love her."

"You love her _what_ is the question. Go spin off in a tea cup, Tweedle Dumb," she laughed hysterically at the most evil look he shot and sat down next to the phone.

"Well, if I'm Tweedle Dumb, then-"

"Jullian and Joe are both Tweedle Dee, as it takes _both_ of _their_ brains just to make up _his_," she cut him off and dialed Eevy's cell phone, "And I'm the Queen of Hearts and I order you beheaded."

"The _Loser_ of Hearts is more like it, Ms. I Lost My Boyfriend Five Days Before Valentine's Day! But Eevy's that sassy Cheshire Cat...Meow."

"I think I'm gonna hurl," Kayla coughed and awaited Eevy picking up her phone.

"Hello!" Eevy suddenly blared into the phone, loud enough Kayla had to pull it away from her ear, "Champion Mistress Hikoboshi speaking. Who might this be?"

"It's Kayla. Kayla Andiron," Kayla switched the phone to her other ear and rubbed her finger in the other.

"Kayla! Hi!" Eevy shrieked in someone else's ear, "It's been _so_ long! How are you?"

"Not so loud," the one sitting in front of her begged, "That hurt."

"Sorry," Eevy covered the mouth piece momentarily to apologize, then went right back again, "What's up, Kayla?"

"I'm guy-less again, Eva," Kayla moaned while slapping Taylor away.

"Uh huh," Eevy continued listening while leaning on the phone to keep it in place, "Right. Uh huh. Yeah. Sure," she stood sifting through clothes hanging in her victim's closet, "Put this on," she chucked it at him and walked out, closing the door behind her.

"This? Why this?" he whined as the door shut.

"Well, I'm doing the same thing for Chenille, so I don't see why I couldn't try for you," Eevy ignored him completely, "I'll see what I can do."

Taylor finally succeeded at yanking the phone from Kayla, "Hey, beautiful!" he blared into it, "How's things, butterfly?"

"Get off the phone, ya' overgrown earth worm!" Eevy hissed as loud as she could.

"Oh, don't be so mean. You know you like me. Love me even. What say you stop by my Gym? We'll train together. In more ways than one. Come on, ya' know you wanna."

Eevy pulled the phone down, turned the volume all the way up, and pressed the zero button as hard as she could, blaring it right in Taylor's ear, "Take that, Andiron!" she fumed.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Taylor tossed the phone at Kayla and ran around the room, his hands both cupped over his ringing, and temporarily deafened, right ear.

"I should recommend doing that to him. It's fun the way he runs," Kayla laughed hysterically as she returned to the phone, "Thanks, Eva. I really appreciate it. Call me. Bye."

"Call me too, sweetie!" Taylor shouted from across the room, refusing to give up, "I love you!"

"Shut _up_!" was the last thing Eevy heard as Kayla hung up, presumably running and pounding Taylor profusely about the head.

"Done changing?" Eevy knocked carefully.

"Yes," he groaned, "How did I let you sucker me into this? I don't even know her name."

"I told you; her name is Chenille. She's really nice and really...um...interesting."

"Why does that not agree with me?" he shivered as she repositioned his shirt.

"I don't know. Why not?" she questioned sarcastically, "You want to know what she looks like? Fine. She's the same age as you with brown hair and brandy colored eyes. She's a little shorter than me with my figure. Happy?"

"She _sounds_ nice at least," he mused, "Maybe she's not so bad."

"That's the spirit. She's very nice. I'm sure you two will get along just fine. Try to keep her happy; works every time."

"Any girl who's with me is happy. After all I'm-"

Eevy slapped her hand over his mouth, "Shut up with your "_I'm so marvelous_" speech. I don't need to hear it."

"Well it's a true-to-life speech, isn't it?" she didn't answer, "Isn't it?"

"No comment," she turned him around and pushed him toward the mirror, "She'll love you. Just be nice to her. I'll see you at seven," she turned and approached the door.

"Woah! Hold on there! Where are you going?! You can't leave me here alone in this get-up!"  


"I'll only be gone an hour. Hang-tight. I just want to go see Ash. I'm in the neighborhood, so why not?"

*^~^**^~^*

"Great battle!" Ash cheered for himself and bounded up the porch steps to his house in Pallet, "Wasn't it?"  
  
"Sure was!" Sooney cuddled her Qwilfish as she walked, "You liked it too, didn't you Qwilfish?"

"Qwil-qwil!" Qwilfish gave a wide grin.

"I thought so," she hugged it tighter.

"Mom! We're back!" Ash burst through the door.

"Good. I'm glad, honey. You got a visitor while you were out," his mother smiled wide at him and pointed at the kitchen table.

"Geez, Ash. You're mom's really nice. But tell her to get these muffins away from me before I eat 'em all," Eevy muffled with her mouth full, "Geez, these are good."

"Eevy!" Sooney blared as loud as she could, sending everyone up into the air, "Hell-O!"

"What are you doing here? Here, in Pallet? In my house?" Ash's head fell all the way to the side.

"Just stopping by. I was up in Viridian and thought I'd drop in. Huh?" she spotted a furry brown paw moving around the table, "Did you have fun training?" she continued the conversation while removing the spoon from her tea and cracking Vovo on the back of the paw with it.

Vovo squeaked nastily and retracted the bruised limb which had been searching for the muffin plate, "Well...I was only trying to help," he thought silently, "She said she wanted somebody to take them away. What better way to take them away than to eat them?"

"We had a great time!" Ash beamed, "I won!"

"Good for you," Eevy looked at Misty and rolled her eyes, causing the redhead to laugh, "Still have that Twinkle Badge?"

"You bet!" he held it up proudly, "I never let it out of my sight!"

"Pikachu-chau!" Pikachu was awakened from his sound slumber in Ash's backpack by his Master's loud bellowing, "Pika-chu Pika-pi!" he lunged over Ash's shoulder at Eevy.

"Pikachu!" Eevy turned and caught him, "My little Pika-pal! I missed you!"

"Looks like she missed Pikachu more than she did us," Brock slouched ever-so slightly.

"Hey, guys! The least you could have done is waited for me to get my stuff!" someone bounded in the front door, but stopped short, "Whoa. Is that who I think it is?" he gaped.

Eevy stood up, her cloak covering her entire body below her neck, "If you believe me to be the Champion Mistress, then you'd be correct," she smirked, "Evangelina Hikoboshi."

"P-Pleased to meet you, Champion Hikoboshi. I-"

"First of all, Richie, I'm not Champion Hikoboshi or Mistress Hikoboshi. I am plain and simply Eevy. No ma'am or miss business either."

"How'd you-?"

"Know you're name? Well, Richard Captura, let me put it this way; Masters and Mistresses are strongly connected with their Pokemon, allowing us to take on some of their traits. I have an Espeon. Do you understand?" she crossed her arms as Vovo took his perch on her left shoulder.

"Oh. So you're psychic," Richie twitched nervously.

"Yes, I am," she heard chewing noises in her left ear, seeing Vovo gnawing on a muffin when she checked, "Would you cut that out? It's rude!" she shoved it the rest of the way into his mouth.

Vovo choked on the muffin, toppling back onto the table and pounding on his chest with his right front paw. Pikachu jumped over and started hitting his back, trying to get the muffin up. He finally choked it up and sprawled out on the table with Pikachu resting his chin on his back and sighing in relief.

Eevy heard the most annoying high-pitched ring of her cell phone, "Excuse me," she turned away, "I never catch a break, do I? Hello?" she stepped over to Vovo and motioned for him to get on her shoulder, "I'm at Ash's house. Yes, Ash Ketchum, you great dolt," Vovo struggled to get up her arm after his near-choking experience, "I'm eating with them. Yes, I'm paying for it. Don't bust me. Yes, I know we were supposed to go out tonight..."

"Lance," Tracey predicted with all but Richie and Ash's mother nodding accordingly.

"I don't care what you had planned," Eevy turned a sudden bright red, "Stop it! We'll go out tomorrow night. Yes, I promise. I swear upon Vovo. If I don't go out with you tomorrow night, you can roast him like a chicken," Vovo suddenly rolled off Eevy's shoulder again, gagging without help from a muffin, "I've still got some stuff to take care of anyway. Live with it. Just hang tight, all right," she suddenly started talking strangely fast, "YesIloveyoutoogoodbye," she hung up and spun around, accidentally cracking Vovo right in the face with the phone, "How would you like to go to dinner?" she grinned crazily.

*^~^**^~^*

"What, might I ask, are we doing here, Beth? And were, exactly, is _here_, anyway?" Mizu panted as Beth still ran cheerfully ahead.

"We're going to see somebody," Beth answered giddily.

"Oh, now there's an in-depth answer if I ever did hear one!" Mizu moaned and tromped along as Beth sprang up a set of porch steps, "If I walked all this way, pregnant or no, for nothing, you'll get it!"

"This is it! The address from the magazine!" she shrieked happily, "I hope he's home!"

"Well, I should certainly hope so!" Mizu hissed, bent over and heaving, "After what we just went through, he, whoever the hell _he_ is, had better not even _consider thinking_ about going on holiday."

Beth knocked and straightened herself out slightly as the door opened, "Hi! Todd Snap, right?"

He tilted his head, "Yeah, that's me. And you are...?"

"Beth Mist. I suppose you could call me a friend of a friend. This is my sister Mizu. We're good friends with _Ash Ketchum_."

"Ash? Ash Ketchum?" Todd yanked the door open all the way, "You know Ash Ketchum?"

"Yeah! We traveled with him over on GT Rin," Beth smiled crazily, but suddenly frowned; the guy was more interested in ogling the older Mizu.

"Come on in," he stepped aside, watching Mizu intently, "You said you traveled with Ash on _GT Rin_? Where, might I ask, is that?"

"GT Rin is short for Gertan Rin. Where the Rainbow League is held," Beth answered before Mizu could even try.

"I knew where Gertan Rin is, I just didn't know what GT Rin meant," Todd slammed down in a chair while Mizu and Beth sat across from in on the couch, "How's Ash been?"

"He's been fine as far as we know. We wouldn't really be the ones to ask, actually," Mizu brushed her hair from her eyes and leaned back as Todd stared at her.

"Yeah. For that you'd have to ask Eevy," Beth shrugged and slouched.

"Eevy?" that caught Todd's attention like a magnet, causing him to look to Beth, "Eevy as in Evangelina?" Beth nodded slowly, "Evangelina as in Hikoboshi?" Beth nodded again, "Hikoboshi as in Mistress?" again Beth nodded, "And Mistress as in Champion?!" Beth once again nodded, "Wow! You know Champion Mistress Hikoboshi?!" Todd suddenly flailed.

"Yeah," Beth leaned away.

"Where is she?! How old is she?! Is she nice?! What about her Pokemon?! How do you know her?! Does she need a photographer?!" Todd lunged a good twelve feet into the air.

"She's in Rainbow Metro. She's twenty-two. She's really nice. Her Pokemon are great," Beth shook her head slowly at him.

"And how do you know her?!"

Beth suddenly acquired an evil smirk, "Mizu is dating her cousin. Mizu's pregnant right now," she saw him slouch slightly and cheered herself on silently.

"Well, does she need a photographer for anything?" Todd muttered a bit.

Now Beth decided was a good chance to beam, "Nope. She's got me," she smiled wide as Todd's eyes nearly rolled from his head.

"You're her photographer?!" he slid on his knees across the floor, suddenly bugging out, "Can you introduce me to her? I've always wanted to photograph her Pokemon. The Dragon Master's too, but let's not get too hasty here!" he snatched her hands and started pleading, "Please, please, pretty please?!"

Mizu smiled and elbowed Beth, waving her eyebrows and nodding, "Go ahead. She won't mind."

"Sure I can. I can take you right now. Actually, Eusine, her cousin and Mizu's boyfriend, is over there in Rainbow Metro right now," Beth smirked and stood up, yanking Todd to stand with her, "Eevy doesn't mind. She loves to meet new people. I'm sure she'd just adore you."

Mizu poked her slightly in the back, "Good line."

"So you'll take me?" Todd's jaw fell.

"Absolutely," she smiled wide.

Mizu peeked around her side and smirked as she saw Todd smile right back and grip her sister's hands a little tighter, "Cute," she snickered silently to herself, "A match made in that big dark room in the sky."

*^~^**^~^*

Brock was staring intently across the table at Eevy as he sat next to Richie. Eevy glared back at him, growling ever-so noticeably. Ash and Misty, sitting to Eevy's right, and Richie and Mrs. Ketchum, sitting to Brock's left, all seemed to snicker a bit as Brock shrunk to avoid a pounding. Vovo and Pikachu sat on either end of the table (whichever end was closer to his Master/Mistress). Vovo was scarfing muffins and Pikachu was guzzling ketchup. No one, not even Ash, was expecting team Rocket to pop up. But, alas, they should have.

"Look, James!" Jessie, dressed as a waitress, snatched James' collar and held a menu up in front of their faces, "Over there! It's the twerps and Pikachu!"

James peeked over the top of the menu, looking across the room through dark sunglasses and clad in a waiter's uniform, "Ooh! And the bimbo-of-bimbos is over there too! Nifty!"

"Shall we attack?" Cassidy looked carefully around the corner with Butch looking around below her, both their chefs' hats sliding down over their heads.

"Not just yet. Soon though," Butch nodded slowly, "We'll get those goof-balls yet."

"You bet we will!" Mondo cheered, slightly too loud, from behind the cash register.

"We'll serve them up some real trouble this time," Domino giggled, walking behind Mondo and laughing again.

"More trouble than ever!" Jen laid her menu on her half of the table.

"Even more than double!" Jaz put his down across from Jen's.

"You'd better do it right," Buson said in muffled tones from the other side of the window he was polishing.

"We're only here to supervise, remember? That means we can't help you. _At all_," Bashou shook his head and started raking again.

"Whateva' ya' say, boys!" Meowth put both paws down on the counter, jingling his belled collar slightly, then put his right paw back up to pose as a cat tip bank.

"We'll do you and the Boss right for a change," Persian resituated his neck in his trophy mount in the wall.

"Mur krow krow murk!" Murkrow kept flapping to display the order number sign.

"Raticate rat rat i cate!" Raticate scrubbed at a table.

Eevy fidgeted in her chair, clearing her throat and looking over her shoulder slightly, "Is something wrong, Evangelina?" Mrs. Ketchum asked quietly.

"No. No. It's nothing," she repositioned herself again.

Jessie wandered along behind her, arms crossed behind her back as Meowth sidestepped behind her ankles, holding a thunder-proof bag as he prepared to snatch Pikachu. Eevy's eyes followed Jessie intently, taking in her every movement precisely. She shrugged off the shrill stinging going up her spine as best she could, but could not shake, however, the feeling something was going oddly wrong. Meowth lunged and threw the bag over Pikachu, jumping away and laughing.

"Ah! Pikachu!" Ash reached to grab at Meowth, but the flash of Persian's claws slicing his face halted his attempt, "Yow! Ow!"

"You!" Eevy sprang to her feet, "I should have known there was something rotten around here, other than the food!"

"Hey!" Butch and Cassidy grumbled.

"Pika! CHU! Pika! CHU!" Pikachu continued trying to shock his way out of the bag.

"Let him go," Eevy spat dryly, "I'm warning you."

"Warn us all you like," Domino spit out her tongue while Mondo gave the Champion Mistress a stink eye.

"You had your chance," Eevy shrugged and tapped Vovo on the shoulder, "Vovo, go!"

"Eev! Eev ee!" Vovo crouched low and hissed, baring his teeth, "Eevee!"

"Ooh! The Eevee! Let's catch it!" James laughed happily.

"In your dreams, dirt bags!" Eevy growled, "Vovo, attack! Tackle now!"

"Machoke, sweetie. Knock that thing cold," Jen laughed hysterically.

Eevy watched Vovo bound forward, seeing everyone else baring their Poke'Balls, "Jen Jinu," she shook her head.

"Purple princess," Jen cracked, sidestepping as Eevy started circling.

"Thank you. I take that as a great compliment," Eevy grinned and charged forward.

Mrs. Ketchum jumped up and looked frantically back and forth, "Well...This is odd."

Eevy and Jen were at it again, trying desperately to beat each other. Vovo was fending off Machoke and Primeape as best he could while Geodude tried forcing them off. Bayleef couldn't get a clean shot in on the bag Pikachu was in, so Pikachu was still stuck in Meowth's claw-ful grasp. Poliwhirl bounced around and Water Gunned a few of the enemies away. Jen swung around and down, landing a heavy punch in Eevy's stomach. Ash, Misty, Brock, Tracey and Sooney stopped dead and gasped as Eevy tumbled back, sliding right across a table and slamming the wall on the other side.

"Yes! I got her!" Jen shrieked.

"You hurt Eevy!" something hissed just before Vovo collided with Jen's back, slamming her down, "Now I'll hurt you!"

Eevy sat up, spotting an enraged Jaz jumping at her, "Ah! Vovo!" her arm was pinned between the wall and the table she was sitting on, which was now wedged in a slightly tilted position, "Help me!"

Something else collided with Jaz, sending him flying away, "Need some help?"

Eevy's jaw fell and her eyes widened slightly, "What are you doing here?"

"Even baby sisters need help sometimes," Morty kicked Jaz in the side of the head as he started getting up, then pushed the table back into align.

"Thanks. Watch your back!" she shoved him down and kicked over his back, slamming Domino back.

"Thank you. Well done," he stood up and repositioned his head band, "I guess this means you forgive me for not coming to our meetings lately?" he punched over Eevy's left shoulder, cracking Jaz's nose.

"I suppose," she kicked around his side, catching Mondo's waist, "But you'd better start coming. Hands please," she turned and backed into him.

He lifted her up by the waist as she slammed both feet up between Jaz's legs, "Don't worry! I will. We have a lot to talk about now."

"Really? Like what?" she bent forward, leaning with him on her back and letting him kick Jen away.

"Let's finish this up first, shall we?"

"No problem!"

They caught each other's right hands and each ran forward, switching sides and kicking whoever happened to be in front of them. Their hands being locked together snapped them back and they switched hands, kicking with the opposite leg to kick Team Rocket back. Morty let go as Cassidy landed a surprise kick in his stomach. She was starting to come down for an elbow in his back when Eevy slid over him and kicked her away. Morty shook the sting off and caught her right before she slammed the ground, swinging her around to kick behind him as Butch just started in. He swung her back and they both kicked Jaz and Jen away after brief fighting stances. Jessie finally forced James to move in too, now surrounding Morty and Eevy as Bashou and Buson walked in and joined.

"T'ought ya' couldn't help," Meowth muttered to Bashou.

"We changed our minds," Buson put up both fists.

"Now what?" Eevy saw Ash and the others trying to get the bag Pikachu had been in open, as Bayleef's Razor Leaf and Cyndaquil's Flamethrower weren't working.

"I have no idea," Morty gulped, "All we did was piss 'em off."

"So what do we do?" she watched Ash pulling relentlessly on the bag Pikachu was still stuck in, "Wait! I've got an idea."

"What're you doing?!" Morty shrieked as Eevy held out a Poke'Ball.

"Shut _up_, Morty," she ordered, "Here. You want my Pokemon. Take him," she tossed the Ball at Butch, who caught it unknowingly.

"Yes! We finally got one!" Butch cheered, seeing the rest of Eevy's belt was empty.

"Oh, you got one, all right. Vovo, he's bothering me," she yawned as Vovo flew over her shoulder, letting out rush of speed.

Butch tumbled back, tossing the Ball back at her accidentally, "Youch! Where'd that thing come from?!"

"Vovo was here the whole time," Eevy crossed her arms, "He's my strongest, so I only brought him, but Morty has one you can play with. Don't you, big brother?"

"Oh, I sure do," Morty reached to his belt, "Gengar! I choose you!"

"G-G-Gengar!" James wailed, flailing aimlessly around the room.

"Vovo!"

"Gengar!"

"Use your Shadow Ball!"

The Eevee and the Gengar jumped forward, both throwing heavy blasts of purple/violet/black energy at Team Rocket. The explosion collided with them within an instant, sending them flying back, right through the wall. Wobbuffet was the first to disappear into the distance with a long, wailing...

"Wob-buf-fet!"

Bashou soared along, continuously cracking James over the head, "This is all your fault! You got us blasted-off, you blasted idiot!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" James wailed as he tried to push Bashou away.

Jessie shrieked in mid-air, "We're never gonna get this right!"

"No. We just keep getting it left instead," Domino bawled.

"This is just wrong!" Jen and Jaz freaked together as they clung to each other.

"It's just as wrong as us," Meowth spiraled through the air.

"One of there days!" Cassidy hissed.

"We'll get them yet! Just wait and see!" Butch grumbled.

"Whatever happened to love power?!" Buson cracked at Butch and Cassidy, who frowned, "This is all thanks to you!"

"Why does it always have to be us?!" Mondo shrieked.

"Because that's just how it is. And right now, it's just..." Persian groaned, the trophy frame still locked around his neck.

"Time to go blasting off again!"

"Mur-krow-murk!"

"Rat-rat raticate!"

"Well done, Vovo!" Eevy cheered and swung her Pokemon around, "Very, very good!"

"You did great too, Gengar!" Morty shook his Gengar's hand, "Great job!"

Eevy stood up with Vovo on her shoulder, then suddenly latched onto Morty, "Big brother!" she shrieked happily with Vovo clinging to her back.

"I was wondering when it'd sink in," Morty snickered, squeezing her, "My little sister."

"Eevy, help!" Ash wailed, "I can't get Pikachu out of this crazy thing!"

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu's muffled cry filtered through the rubber bag, "Pi-pikachu!"

Eevy pushed away from Morty and bolted over, "Pikachu! Take shallow breaths!" she pulled at the rubber, "What kind of crazy contraption is this thing?!"

"We've tried Fire, Electricity, Water and Grass. We can't get him out for anything!" Sooney bawled.

"Gengar! Come here, buddy!" Eevy called her brother's Pokemon, "Gengar, try a Night Shade attack."

"Gengar-geng," Gengar's eyes lit up a bright white, slowly melting the bag away.

"Pi-kachu!" Pikachu cheered, high-fiving Gengar before jumping to Ash, "Pika-pi!"

"Pikachu! You're all right!" Ash cheered and looked across at Gengar and Eevy, "Thank you, Gengar. Thank you, Eevy," he then looked up, "Thank you too, Morty."

"No problem," Morty waved his hand slightly, "You'd better return and rest for a bit, Gengar," he held out his Poke'Ball and recalled Gengar, "Now, what I wanted to tell you, Eevy, wa-"

He was cut off by Eevy's ringing cell phone as everyone sat back down at the table in there original positions, "I never _can_ catch a break," Eevy groaned, "Hold that thought. Hello? Hello, Kayla. Sorry. I haven't yet," she looked across the table, then suddenly getting a stroke of genius, "Actually...Maybe I _have_."

*^~^**^~^*

"I can't believe I'm actually going to meet the Champion Mistress," Todd adjusted his camera and took a picture of the water, "What a great opportunity."

"Is all you think about cameras?" Mizu's head fell to the side and she poked Skiff in the back, "Check out my little sister," she whispered to him.

Skiff glanced over his shoulder and watched Beth mimicking every move Todd made with his camera with her own, "Cute," he snickered.

"Actually, most of the time, yes it is," Todd stated plainly, causing Mizu to facefault.

"Hey, cut it out! You're rocking the boat!" Skiff scolded the fallen Mizu.

"I think it's great you like photography so much," Beth grinned crazily, "At least now nobody can tease me about being the only one so obsessed with cameras."

"Oh," Todd focused his camera on the coast of Gertan Rin, his face right on it, "I'd _never_ tease you about something like that."

"Is he flirting, or just being camera-obsessive?" Mizu wondered out loud to Skiff.

"I don't know. But maybe I should try that line. Look at Beth," Skiff pointed over his shoulder.

Beth was now beaming, nearly latched on to Todd in utter bliss. Skiff arced down the Gladiola River and let the boat slow as he reached the coastline near Rainbow Metropolis. Todd was snapping pictures left and right, but Beth refrained; she had pictures of all this. Skiff stopped the boat and hopped out onto the dock, which Eevy had newly built specifically for him.

"Here we are! The great Rainbow Metropolis!" he announced proudly, "Home to my good friend, the Champion Mistress, Evangelina Hikoboshi!"

"Stop bragging, boat-boy," Mizu rolled her eyes, then looked off to the side, "I think there's someone down there that might like to see you."

Skiff turned and looked blankly down the street, then spotting a familiar face, "You didn't!"

"I did," Mizu nodded and grinned.

"Yuu-Yuu!" Skiff flew down the dock and out into the road, "Over here!"

"Skiff!" Yuu-Yuu came rampaging toward him and jumped for his shoulders, "Hi, Skiff!" she shrieked.

"Let's leave these two alone," Mizu snickered and hopped onto the dock as she spotted Yuu-Yuu smothering Skiff with kisses.

Todd stepped onto the dock and started running for the gate, but veered to a stop at Beth cursing under her breath, "Stupid friggin' bag..." she muttered.

"What happened?" he wandered back over and looked down at her.

"Oh," she looked up and shrugged, "The strap on my camera bag broke. Well, the clip did anyway," she hoisted it up and indicated the plastic clip on the end of the strap; it was now snapped.

"I think I have a spare in my bag...We'll fix it after we're inside and I'm all set up. I'll be able to find it easier," he pulled her bag up and held it under one arm while reaching down to her with the other, "I'll carry it for you. Come on. We're falling behind."

"Uh...OK!" she took his hand and climbed out onto the platform as Yuu-Yuu ran over, dragging Skiff behind her.

"Hi, Beth!" Yuu-Yuu shouted right in her ear, slapping Todd away to latch onto her, "Is he your boyfriend, Beth? He's cute!"

"Hey!" Skiff snapped, now loathing the boy he'd just helped.

Beth's eyes widened as Todd turned a nearly glowing shade of red, "I'm just a friend!" he contradicted quickly.

"Uh huh," Yuu-Yuu shrugged, "Well, I," she jammed her arm towards him, "Am Yuu-Yuu Palm! Daughter to Professor Palm of Nanka and niece to Professor Pine of Hokubu."

"Todd Snap," he turned and walked away, not bothering to shake her hand.

"Come on, guys!" Mizu waved her arms above her head, "Vic and V are gonna let us in!"

"Wait for us!" Beth cried as she realized Todd was leaving her behind.

Skiff started to follow, "Not you, Frigate!" Yuu-Yuu pulled him back and jumped into the boat, "Let's go for a ride!"

*^~^**^~^*

Beth hopped to a stop at the door to Rainbow Mansion, "Here we are!" she shouted, "The great, and gigantic, Rainbow Mansion of Rainbow Bluff!"

"Wow," Todd looked on from her side, snapping a picture of each end of the porch, then the door, "This place is huge! And I'll bet there are a ton of Pokemon in that forest. What do you know about it?"

"The forest? It's called Spectral Spirit Woods," Beth shrugged and hit the doorbell, "The great Forest Spirit Celebi lives there. She grows and picks the city's Christmas tree every year. As for the forest itself, it's very old. Lots of oaks and pines. Couple palms near the coast too. And for the Pokemon, there are Bug and Grass and Poison...Pretty much all the forest-dwelling things. Birds, bugs, plants, egg trees with legs, pink blobs that change shape..."

She was interrupted as the door swung open, "Hey, guys!" Todd's eyes locked swiftly on Medira, "Didn't expect you to drop by. Who's your friend?"

"Todd Snap," he answered stiffly, putting up his arm, "And you...?"

Medira smirked and sweatdropped, "Medira Kurayami. Medio Mistress of the Shimmer Badge. What can I do for you?"

"Lots of things..." Todd thought before shaking himself straight, "Beth and Mizu brought me to take some photos of the Champion Mistress's Pokemon."

"If it's OK with Eevy," Beth pushed in quickly.

"Oh...I'm sorry. Eevy's not here right now," Medira shrugged, "She's off in Kanto with Ash and his usual group. You can wait for her in here if you want, but nobody knows when she'll show up."

"Sure. Thanks," Mizu pushed Beth and Todd inside, "Did Eusine ever show up here?"

"He's in the dining room feeding Marina," Medira pointed, "Well, _trying to_ anyway..."

"I'd better go check on them," she started running off, "You guys will be all right. Just look for Jason or something," she pushed the door open, "Marina Amiri Mimir! Look at this mess! What's your uncle going to say when he sees the Mansion's dining room this way?!"

"Mizu! Thank God!" Eusine sighed before the door shut.

"Jason? Jason Peruwa?" Todd questioned blankly.

"Yeah. Medira Kurayami, Jason Peruwa, Lurianna Sedna, William Logos, Lance Ryujin, and Evangelina Hikoboshi. We've just got to find one of the Elite..." Beth shrugged, "Oh! There's Luri! Luri!" she waved up the stairs.

"Hi, Beth!" Luri hopped down the stairs two at a time, "What're you doing here? And who's the little chiko? Boyfriend?"

Todd slouched low, muttering, "I'm just a friend and I'm Todd Snap."

Luri shrugged, "Whatever. You looking for someone in particular?"

"We _were_ looking for Eevy, but we're told she's in Kanto," Beth drooped.

"Yeah. She's in Pallet, visiting Ash. And she was doing something in Viridian too...Can't quite remember what...Oh! She was visiting someone for Chenille!" Luri then looked off to the side, "Hey, Will! Look who's here!"

"Lovely," Will snorted, trudging up the stairs, "Who is it anyway?"

"Beth, you ding-a-ling," she rolled her eyes, "And she brought a friend. Todd Snap."

"Yeah, I've heard of him. Photographer," he shrugged and kept walking, "Man, whatever Eevy's doing, it's giving _me_ a killer headache."

"Ooh...A photographer! Really?" Luri jumped and smiled crazily.

"Yes," Todd nodded once, "I photograph Pokemon."

"Ooh...Even better!" she jumped, "In the market for a Dewgong?"

"I guess so," Todd looked to Beth, who just made a face.

"Great! Then you can take mine while you wait for Eevy! Come on to the ice room!" she grabbed each one by the wrist and took off up the stairs.

*^~^**^~^*

"How did I let you sucker me into this? I've only know you for like...What? An hour or two?" Richie stiffly sat back in his chair, staring out the window and at the clouds.

"Chill out!" Ash encouraged from his side, "Kayla's really nice. And she's been Eevy's friend for a long time."

"Do you get a kick out of making friends with people younger than you?" Richie shivered, "She _is_ younger than you, isn't she?" there was no reply, "Isn't she?!"

"Yes, she's younger than me. She's your same age, all right?" Eevy rolled her eyes, "Just calm down. You have but one thing to worry about," she kept her eyes focused on her book.

"_One_ thing? _One thing_?! What do you mean _one_ thing?!" Richie shrieked, refraining from shooting to his feet, "I'm on a plane; I hate to fly! I'm going on a blind date; it was arranged by someone I just met! I'm flying to Gertan Rin; a place I've never been before! I'm don't know diddley-squat about this girl; that's why it's a blind date! I'm gonna fail miserably and you guys don't care!"

"For matter of clarification," Sooney leaned over the back of his chair, "Why are you going to fail miserably?"

"I don't know a thing about girls. Or about dating," he could have sworn his hair stood on end as the plane started dropping, "Oh my God I'm gonna die. Oh my God I'm gonna die."

"You're worse than Sooney," Tracey sketched his petrified friend's face, remembering the way Sooney had clung to him during every flight; whether for safety or for cuddling, he wasn't sure, but he didn't mind anymore.

"Very funny!" Sooney whacked him over the head with a paper fan, "_Lekka Shien_!"

"You hang around Eevy _way_ to much," Tracey muttered while rubbing the top of his head with his sketchpad.

"Would you rather she hung around _Misty_ too much and came after you with a mallet?" Ash asked quietly, sweatdropping slightly.

"...Good point."

Richie slumped lower in his seat, tugging his hat down over his eyes, "If this Kayla is anything like Sooney and Eevy..." he shook his head slightly, ducking down even farther, "I'm doomed. I'm doomed, doomed, doomed..."

The seat beside him creaked slightly as someone sat beside him, "Don't worry. You're not "_doomed_" at all," Eevy pushed his hat up and patted his shoulder, "Kayla will love you, and I'm sure you'll like her. She's very nice, and friendly, and smart."

"So she's nothing like Richie," Ash grinned sadistically, leaning over the back of the chairs.

"Ashura!" Eevy snapped, pulling out her own paper fan and smacking him in the nose with it, "_Lekka Shien_!"

"_Lekka Shien_!" Sooney joined in, grinning while whacking Ash as well.

"_Lekka Shien_!" Misty smirked, taking her mallet to him as well.

Brock and Tracey stood and moved to the back of the plane, into the very back seats, and Richie stared, eyes wide, while shuttering and willing Kayla to be at least _slightly_ less violent, "Ouch! Come on, girls! Cut it out! Ow! That hurts!" Ash cringed, arms folded over his head, "Yow! Come on! Stop it! Cut it _out_!"

*^~^**^~^*

"Oh boy," Eevy paused, looking down at her watch suddenly.

"What's the matter?" Ash asked, turning to look back on her, "Did you forget something?"

"Yeah," she nodded stiffly, turning and running back down her driveway, "I was supposed to meet somebody in Viridian over half an hour ago!"

"Wait a second!" Richie cried after her, "You can't leave us here!"

"Don't worry, Richie!" Sooney tugged him up the porch steps, "Eevy's parents are super-nice, and Misty and I and the boys will help ya' out!"

"But...But..." he stammered back before Brock came up behind him, pushing him along.

"But nothing!" he sniggered, "Just get up there!"

Tracey knocked on the door and Eevy's mother pulled it open quickly, "Well...Where's Eva?" she questioned.

"I gotta borrow the Civic, mom!" Eevy called from down the drive as Ash indicated her running away, "I'll be back later, I swear!"

"I should certainly hope so, since you're swiping _our_ car!" Tammy puffed, then looking back at those in front of her, "Well then! _You_ must be Richie!" she yanked him forward, "Kayla will just love you!"

"Aheh...Great..."

*^~^**^~^*

Eevy nervously looked between the road and her watch, knowing both Chenille and her date would be flaming. She'd neglected to set her watch and totally forgot to return to Viridian to introduce them. She's basically stolen her parents' car and was speeding over the long bridge to Johto. Silently she thanked Will for allowing her, recently, to drive his Mustang. She was dreadfully out of practice, but didn't even flinch when her cell phone rang. She reached off and grabbed it, turning up the volume so as to hear it over the wind, and sat it on the seat.

"Where _are you_?!" Chenille shrieked, "You're like an hour late! I'm all _alone_ out here!"

"I'm on my way, Chenille, I swear," she was forced to slow to a stop at the guard house and show her Poke'Dex as proof of who she was, "I'll be there in about ten minutes."

"_Please_," she begged, "Make it quick. This guy of yours is just standing here, hands in his pockets, watching the cars pass by. It's like he's oblivious of me."

"He will be until I get there. Admitted or not, he's nervous. Just calm down. I'm almost halfway to you now," she swerved around a Rattata scampering across the road, "I'm hanging up now. Bye!" she reached off and turned the phone off, rounding a corner and sighing heavily, "I'll never ever catch a break..."

She passed First Street, then Second, and finally came to Third, taking a sharp turn around the corner. Chenille looked to her right, spotting the gold-tinted Honda screeching around the corner. Eevy crammed the breaks, squealing to a stop directly in front of her, and lunged from the car, cell phone in hand. She hurried up onto the curb and rushed through the gate and up to her.

"I am _so_ undyingly sorry," she panted, "I went back to Gertan Rin without even thinking."

"Where...Did you learn to drive like that?" Chenille gaped, jaw hanging down a bit.

"Don't ask," Eevy shook her head and took her elbow, leading her up the walk, "Where is he?"

"Over there," she pointed shakily.

Eevy glanced off at Chenille's match, finding he was doing just as she'd said he was. He stood by the long stone wall around the yard, hands buried in his pockets and eyes focused on the road. He looked slowly up at the sky as a plane passed overhead, his muddled brown hair obscuring his vision slightly. He then looked off and spotted Eevy, detaching his vision from other things and focusing it on her.

"I always knew you were never very good at being on time, but come on, Eva...An hour late?"

"Oh, shut up," she waved her hand at him, "Just be glad I came at all. I could have left you both here all alone to fend for yourselves. And since you've been ignoring _her_ this _entire_ time," she pushed Chenille forward, "This is Chenille Farrago. Chenille," she pulled her wrist up, "This is a very good friend of mine; Gary Oak," she pulled Gary's up as well and forced them to shake hands.

She looked right to left between them, from Chenille's gradually reddening face to Gary's openly growing smirk. She smiled crazily and stepped back, releasing their hands from hers.

"Are we all set? Neither of you want to run for cover?" she questioned.

Chenille shook Gary's hand off, "Not yet, anyway," she turned away from her to the right, "We'll just wait and see."

Eevy patted Gary's back firmly, jolting him forward, as he stared blankly at that comment, "Have fun," she smirked, then marched off toward the car, motioning to Gary to call her.

As soon as Chenille heard the car door close and the engine roar to life, she opened her right eye halfway to watch Eevy leave, "Why does she want you to call her? So you can rat on me to her?"

"No," Gary puffed, "So I can tell her how things go. And what would there be to rat on you _about_, exactly?"

"I don't know. Why don't _you_ tell _me_? _You're_ my critic for the evening, so critique away."

"I see no reason to," he crossed his arms briefly, then pulled a Poke'Ball from his belt and spun it on his finger, "I see nothing wrong with you. _Not yet, anyway_."

"Oh, very good," she glanced back at him, spotting the Poke'Ball, "What's...In that?"

"This?" he questioned, catching it, "My Eevee."

"You have an Eevee? Evangelina never told me that..." she frowned slightly.

"You like Eevee?"

"I breed them."

"Chenille Farrago..._That's_ where I know your name from," he scratched the back of his right ear, "You're the breeder who lost to Eevy in the Breeder's Competition in Iris."

Chenille grunted, "Yeah, that's me...I'm more famous _losing_ than I was the entire time I was _winning_..."

"Hey, for what it's worth, I saw the film from the competition, and your Pokemon look great," he placed his Poke'Ball back where he'd gotten it from, "And I didn't mean to rub it in or anything, so can we go?"

As far as Chenille had always been concerned, anyone who liked her Pokemon had to be an OK person, but this time she had her doubts, "I suppose," she shrugged, "We shouldn't be late, or we might wind up like Eevy and be late for everything."

"Mhmm," he nodded twice, stepping beside her and allowing her to take his elbow, "And that's the _last_ thing _anyone_ needs."

*^~^**^~^*

Eevy careened down the driveway, nearly tripping over her own two feet, and bashed the front door open, "I'm here!" she announced.

"They already left," her mother looked over the kitchen island at her.

"Heh?" Eevy questioned, looking at her blankly.

"Heading out to meet Kayla," her father answered from the chair by the wall.

"Oh geez," Eevy turned and whipped the door open once again, "Car's in the driveway; I'll see you guys again sometime; love you both; bye-bye!"

She trampled down the steps and past the car, down onto the sidewalk and to the right. She kept running at as fast a pace as she could normally take, then reached up and down into the neck of her shirt.

"Crystal Bell," she panted, dropping it to jingle as she ran, "Release my power of speed," she flicked it with her finger, causing it to flash white.

She sped down to the corner and took a sharp right. As she rounded the corner, she spotted Ash, Tracey and Misty walking slowly along behind Brock and Sooney, who were shoving the petrified Richie down the street. She jumped quickly in front of them and stood still a moment, the slight tornado of dirt and grass around her dying down. She heaved a few breaths, bent down with her hands on her thighs.

"I'm...Sorry...I'm...Late..." she choked, standing straight, "But you really shouldn't...Be out here alone this late.

"Pika-chu..." Pikachu shook his head, "Pi-pi pikachu-cha cha."

"Oh, you tried to tell them that, did you?" she picked him up and scratched his head, then placed him on Ash's shoulder and grabbed Richie's elbow, "Hey, Richie! Are you alive in there?!"

"K-Kinda..." he gagged out, shivering slightly.

"What did you crazies _do_ to the poor guy?" Eevy questioned, looking between those behind the stunned Captura boy.

"Nothing," Sooney shook her head slowly, "The closer it got to time for us to head out here, the worse he got."

"Here's some proof if you don't believe us," Tracey held his sketchpad up and flipped through it page by page, showing the gradually tensing expressions Richie acquired while she was in Viridian.

"Hmm...OK then," Eevy stood Richie up straight, brushed him off, resituated his collar and sleeves, and removed his cap all together, shoving it into his hands, "Come on, Richie. Let's go," she tugged him along by his right hand as his left clutched his hat tightly.

As they continued down the street, Eevy seemed to becoming more and more tense. Why? The Gym was slowly but surely growing closer and coming into view. She hissed when she saw it, and debated where to look for Kayla first; in the house or behind the Gym. The decision was quickly made for her, however.

"Well, hello down there to butterfly and her crew."

Eevy's fists clenched at her sides and her eyes blazed red, "And hello to dirt bag and his henchmen," she spat, gaze slowly flowing upwards to the roof of the Gym, "Where's your sister?"

"What say you not worry about her and come up here?" Taylor grinned crazily and waved his fingers at her, "I'd say it's about time you came to visit me. You need to grade me and all..."

"I'll grade your nose with a black and blue stamp of my fist if you don't lay off and tell me where Kayla is."

"Oh, you're so romantic."

"Buzz off, jerk!" Misty hissed, stomping forward.

"Togi-togi-pri!" her Togepi glared evilly up at them as well.

"Hey, girl, you shut your mouth before I'm forced to close it," Taylor crossed his arms and stood up straight, "Of course, that might not be so bad. For me."

"Shut it, Andiron!" Ash growled, "We've got enough to worry about besides you three stooges, so where's Kayla?!"

Taylor cocked an eyebrow, Jullian and Joe growling slightly behind him, "She's in the house, ya' little twerp."

"Thanks but no thanks, weed," Sooney puffed, shoving Richie along toward the porch with Brock's help.

"How did Eevy _ever_ get involved with _that_?" Brock questioned quietly, shaking his head.

"Don't ask, don't tell, don't know," Tracey put in, tapping the banister with his pencil.

"I'm amazed you made him talk," Eevy admitted to Ash, who was by her side, while ringing the doorbell, "But, then again, he usually only thinks of women as lower than him, so maybe he listened because you're a guy. Still, very good."

"Heheh...Thanks," Ash grinned stupidly.

A muffled, "Who is it?" came from the opposite side of the door a few moments later.

"It's Eva," Eevy waved through the slight break in the curtains, "Open up; I brought your date."

Richie whimpered a bit at that, but there were a few clicks as the locks were undone before the door opened, "Hiya, Eva!" Kayla waved, stepping back and motioning for them to step inside, "Sorry I didn't just open the door, but with my brother out and all..."

"Yeah, it's OK," Eevy shrugged, turning to Richie and slapping his cheeks repeatedly, "Wake up, boy, or you'll look like an idiot!"

Richie shook his head side to side, swatting Eevy away, "OK, knock it off!" he cleared his throat, straightened his shirt, and stood up straighter.

"All right then," Eevy stepped to the side and pulled Kayla forward, "Kayla Andiron, this is Richie Captura," she grinned crazily, then backed up to push the others out the door, "We'll leave you two alone for now. One or the two of you can call me later and let me know how things go, OK?" she waved her fingers, shoving everyone out behind her, "Bye-bye!"

"Wait, Eva!" Kayla called after her.

"Miss Evangelina!" Richie spun to her as well, only to watch the door close.

"Uh..." they looked back at each other, both half-expecting the other to walk away.

Kayla noticed the hat firmly clenched in Richie's fist, "You don't really want to be here, do you?"

"Eh?" he looked up and swallowed quickly, "What do you mean?"

"Eva forced you here, didn't she?" she grinned weakly, "I know how she works; she was trying to do something for me, and wouldn't want to let me down, so she gave _you_ this mission, whether you chose to accept it or not."

"She didn't-"

"So if you want to leave, go ahead. I won't hold it against you," she shrugged, "I'll call her later myself and tell her you just weren't my type."

"But she didn't force me," he blinked twice, "She asked, and I agreed to it. She never really _forced_ me at all. Encouraged me a lot, but other than that..."

"Eva's always been like that. She encourages everyone to try their best, even at her own expense," she smiled a but more realistically that time, "She partially had to convince me to got through with this, after I was the one who asked her for help."

"Yeah, she even got me on a plane, and I hate flying," he snickered nervously, scratching his head.

"Well, there's something with have in common. I can't stand to fly," she laughed noticeably.

"Um..." he looked down at his watch as she did, "Do you still want to go? If not-"

"No, I'll go," she nodded once and grabbed a string of keys from the table beside her.

"That's...A lot of keys for one house."

"Oh, they're for the back rooms of the Gym too. I can't leave them lying around for my brother to use," she dropped them into her bag with a loud clatter.

"You run the Gym here?"

"No, my brother does, but he uses the back rooms for things _other_ than storage," she snorted, "I heard him yelling just before you came to the door. The scum."

"That guy on the roof of the building next door is your brother?" he questioned, eyes wide.

"Don't remind me," she rolled her eyes, stepping out the door and allowing him out before shutting and locking it.

"Hey, where are you goin'?" Taylor snorted, now sitting on the edge of the Gym roof with a bottle in his hand and Jullian and Joe at his side, "Did mom and dad give you permission to leave?"

"_Yes_, Tweedle Dee," she growled, pulling Richie along behind her, "Go get drunk and kiss Tweedle Dumb and Dumber there."

"I told you, that will _never_ happen again!"

"Yeah, sure, whatever..." she tugged Richie to the corner and across the street, "You'll have to ignore him. He's clueless when it comes to pretty much anything but being irritating and torturing girls."

"Yeah, OK," Richie nodded slowly, stumbling along with her.

*^~^**^~^*

"This is a good one," Todd commented quietly while looking at the picture in his left hand and shaking the one in his right to get the picture to come through.

"Well it can't be one of mine then," Beth sweatdropped, changing the film in her own camera and his, "If it's even a _fraction_ decent, it must be someone else's."

Todd leaned forward slightly on the balcony railing and Beth stood just outside the door to the room they managed to escape from Luri in; a spare room filled with boxes and books. They both paused as they heard Luri scamper past, calling for them, then went on about their conversation.

"I'm sure you've taken at least _one_ good picture," Todd contradicted, turning around to lean backwards on the bar, "Did you bring your portfolio?"

"Of course I did," Beth went wide-eyed, clutching her camera bag, "My portfolio is my best friend. I don't go _anywhere_ without it. Not even the grocery store. There might be somebody there to discover me."

"Why would someone who can't take a decent picture need to worry about being discovered?" he questioned, causing her to flush slightly, "Can I see it?"

She laughed out loud, "Sure, but I definitely don't guarantee you'll like what you see."

He took the heavy dark blue folder from her and pulled it open. He sneezed twice and rubbed his reddening nose. There were only two things he knew he was allergic to, and he hadn't been exposed to peanuts lately. A very light film of dust covered the top page, causing him to glance at her oddly.

"I haven't, exactly, opened it in a while..." she grinned stupidly.

He coughed a few times, flooding the air with more dust, "So...I see..."

(_A/N: It's 7:45pm on February 14th~Valentine's Day. The LayOut isn't even half-done and this definitely won't be up on time. I missed my deadline! NOOOO! Well, at least Lance is on KidsWB! tomorrow..._)

(_A/N2: Heh...'Tis 10:10pm on February 15th...I saw Lance. *_* But his voice...And they don't rename Tatsumi...Arrrrrg, dubs are evil._)

She nearly bashed herself over the head with that same book, as all that dust must have been an immediate turn-away for him. She watched him hesitantly from that point on, watching him slowly and carefully turn the yellowing pages one by one. The color of the photos remained vivid just the same, showing off bright sunsets and crystal blue water. He seemed to examine each one closer and closer, as if he was inspecting every single droplet of color one at a time.

She cringed as he turned and looked at her, "These landscapes are beautiful. And the still-life ones are great," he looked back at the book, not noticing the way she swiveled to him, eyes wavering and face red, "And this one here, that was on the cover of the paper, is really great."

"Do you _really_ think so?" she asked quietly as he carefully closed the book, attempting not to bring to big a puff of dust.

"Well, yeah. The angles and the colors are perfect and the centering is near dead-key," he looked up at her, gaze suddenly fixated on her eyes, which were wavering.

He looked to the left, then the right, then down at his hands, which were fidgeting away with the tassel on the corner of the book. His eyes kept flailing, looking around for something for him to jump up and look at. He found it sooner than expected.

"What's that there?" he asked quickly, standing up and walking around her side.

She turned promptly, ready to find whatever ruined that and strangle it, when she found herself eye-to-eye with something shining and aqua. Todd attempted to get a picture of it, but the lens cap of his camera refused to budge. Beth whimpered slightly and the little aqua creature leaned forward, grinning and tapping the female photographer's nose.

"Biii..." it chirped, smiling happily.

"Bi...Bi...Cele...Bi..." Beth choked, "The Forest Spirit Celebi."

Celebi nodded enthusiastically, then shot off toward Todd. She hovered there for a mere second, then shot up into the sky disappearing with a flash of white light. Todd stood there a moment, then pulled the lens cap again. He glared at it as it came right off, then set the camera down and made a dash at Beth. He pulled her wrists, turning her to the side and pointed upward.

"You saw that, right?!" he asked frantically, "Right?!"

"Of course I saw it!" she cried as he pulled her around behind him, "It was right in my face!"

He stopped suddenly, causing her to bang into him from behind, "Good! Then no one can tell me I was seeing things!" he turned quickly back to her, finding her closer than he expected.

Yet again their gazes locked. Blue on blue. She blushed, he swallowed, and both leaned slowly forward. Her focus turned to his lips and they each hesitated, their sights having been pulled apart. She looked up just in time to see something shine in his eyes.

"What...Exactly...Are you-"

"Shh..." she placed a finger on his mouth and carefully reached out toward the table, drawing back her camera.

In a split second, she turned and clicked the shutter. The flash burst and a white ball of energy shot off into the distance. She turned back and pulled out the picture that dropped from the camera and shook it off.

"Celebi," she grinned, slightly blankly, "See? Celebi," she held it up, "I saw it...Shine in your eyes."

"Wow..." he looked at the perfectly defined picture in utter astonishment, "Now _this_ is a good picture."

"Yeah," she pushed his hand down and leaned forward again, "It is."

A third time they crept closer to each other, hoping this time it would _finally_ go through. They didn't hear the car doors; the front door open and close; the footsteps in the hall...Not until the door opened.

"Todd, Beth!" Mizu pushed the door open.

Beth screeched and Todd jumped back, holding his arms up at his sides. Beth's portfolio clattered to the balcony floor, and the photo of Celebi slipped off the railing, plummeting a few feet before being swept up in a gust. Both Todd and Beth watched it, nearly screaming after it. As it continued to fly, it coasted into the woods, where a long purple arm stretched to retrieve it. Mewtwo clutched the photo a moment, then crushed it in his powerful fist, allowing the now burnt remnants to flutter away. Todd and Beth turned slowly back on Mizu, who looked back at them blankly and silently, scratching the back of her head.

"I cannot _believe_ you just did that," Beth gaped at her sister as Todd turned back and leaned slightly over the railing.

"I...Am _so_ undyingly sorry..." Mizu whimpered for a moment before regaining a bit of her composure, "But I came to tell you Eevy is back," she realized right off that she had no chance of being forgiven, so she turned and rushed out the door as fast as she was able.

Beth turned red for a moment, then sighed and reverted back to her original color, "Well," she backed to the bar, also leaning over, "Let's go down and meet Eevy."

Todd, still devastated by the loss of that picture, stood straight up with no warning, coming nose-to-nose with the youngest Mist daughter. Beth looked about nervously, though her eyes kept snapping back to his, and only come to find his eyes closed and his face leaning closer to hers. The closer he got, the farther she moved away, until it was impossible for her to escape except by running and hiding. After all those failed attempts, his lips finally settled over hers. She blinked twice, wide-eyed and reddened, then shut her eyes and responded. He lifted his right hand to her elbow and squeezed as she started to return it. She gripped the hem of her pocket with the same arm he was holding and both of them kept their free hands on the railing. They separated, Beth looking down and Todd swallowing nervously.

"Care to join me downstairs?" he asked, putting out his left hand.

She looked up at him, as she'd expected to get pushed away, "Y-Y-Sure..."

She hesitantly allowed her fingers to lock with his, feeling his grasp on her elbow slowly slip away. She reached down and picked up her portfolio and their cameras, and he both their camera bags, then both exited the room. A small aqua glow fluttered slowly up to peek over the rail as they disappeared, a small smile forming on its lips. Celebi giggled, then leaned backwards, soaring down toward the ground before arcing up and speeding into the trees.

*^~^**^~^*

Kayla spun a long spoon around her glass, watching the ice float down to the bottom then up to the top repeatedly. Richie did the same across from her. Both had their chin in their hand, their eyes half closed, and their minds floating elsewhere. Every once and a while, each would catch the other throwing them a quick glance, and each would either blush or grin shyly.

"_I wonder why she won't say anything..._"

"_I'm so boring...It's amazing he hasn't left already._"

"_Eevy was right. She really is nice. Oh, God, she's looking at me again..._"

"_How come he always looks away like that? He probably doesn't like me._"

"_She doesn't look too happy. Geez, I suck at this._"

"_I feel like such a baka just sitting here like this._"

"_I'll bet there are a million better things for her to be doing right now other than staring at stupid me._"

"_I'll bet he could be doing almost anything else right now aside from sitting over there, most likely hating me._"

She looked down at her watch, following the second hand as it continued around the face. She leaned down and took a sip of her drink, then sat back, head still dropped. She locked her fingers together, then swallowed and looked up suddenly. His gaze quickly fixed on her.

"I should probably be going home now," she shut her eyes tightly, her fingers tightening, "I can't leave my brother and the Gym unattended."

She stood quickly and rushed off, not even giving him half a chance to stand politely for her. She scampered to the door, her left hand invisible to him as she covered her nose and mouth. He looked down at her side of the table, as instinct had pulled him to his feet anyway, and spotted her bag sitting there. He grabbed it and ran for the door, waving a hand at the waiters and waitresses, who waved back, and counted the extra money Eevy had sent, eyes practically registering dollar signs. By the time Richie made his way out into the parking lot, Kayla was already out of sight. He looked one way, then the other, then took off running to the right. He stopped and looked at the sign at the corner, then ran to the next, then continued for another few yards. He spotted the Gym and the house, seeing no one on the roof, then climbed the porch steps. He knocked a few times and called her name, acknowledging who it was and why he was there. When he received no answer, he tried the doorknob, finding it locked. He puffed slightly, but there was a sudden tug from behind, yanking at Kayla's bag. When he turned around, he saw nothing but the pack on the floor in front of him and the keys laying on top of it. There was literally no plausible way that could have happened. He swallowed and peeked over the railing, seeing nothing there either. He cleared his throat and picked up the keys, using trial and error to find the correct one. As he did that, a small pink head popped over the rail behind him, big blue eyes shining in happiness. Mew grinned wide, then shot off into the woods across the street.

Having finally found the correct key, which by the way had been the very last one, Richie slowly and quietly opened the door, poking his head in, "Miss Andiron? Kayla?" he searched side to side, finding the front room dim and slightly foreboding, "Kayla, are you here?"

He continued down the hall, knowing it was kind of a bold statement to enter the house without asking, but it just felt right. And the way those keys had seemingly been located and left for him sort of proved it. He looked left to right, trying to decide what each door was. One was Kayla's brother's room, one was a closet, one was a bathroom, one was the door to the attic and the basement both, and the one at the very end of the hall, right before the kitchen, must have been hers. There was a sign on the front, which he read to himself. "_All my brothers perverted friends: KEEP OUT._" Yep...That was hers. He knocked again and got a hiss in return, though it came not from behind the door, but from behind his back. He spun and came eye-to-eye with a Kingdra.

"H-H-Hi there, fella," he waved his fingers at it, "I'm not here to cause any trouble, honest."

"_Duuu_," it growled, eyes narrowing, "Duu duu duu."

"It's OK, really," Richie nodded slowly, "Are you Kayla's Kingdra?" its eyes remained slanted, but it nodded, "Well I'm a friend of your master's then. Is she here?"

"_DUU_!" it nearly gnarled, floating up into him.

"Oh man!" he ducked, nearly getting Headbutted in the face, "Eevy is _not_ gonna be happy with me!"

"Duu?" Kingdra suddenly slowly moved away, staring hesitantly at him, "Duu-duu duu-duu-duu...?"

He peeked up at it, "Eevy? You know Eevy?"

"DUU!" it called, bobbing side to side and nodding, "Duu-duu, duuduuduu!"

"That's a relief," he sighed as it grinned, "Now, would you mind telling me now if Kayla's here?"

Kingdra motioned his snout toward the door Richie was now leaning on, "Duuduu, duu-duu-duh."

"Thanks," Richie bowed his head as the Sea Horse floated off down the hall and into the front room, "Kayla?" he turned and tapped on the door.

"Go _away_, Taylor," she cracked from inside, "I don't know why Kingdra didn't get rid of you, but I _don't_ want to put up with you right now."

He cringed, "_She must really hate that guy,_" he carefully turned the handle and shielded his eyes, just in case, and stepped in, shutting the door behind him.

"Dammit, Taylor!" Kayla grabbed a stuffed animal and rolled over, now sitting up and ready to chuck it, "I'm gonna...Kill...You..." she blinked, then buried the bear behind her, "Richie! I'm sorry! Wait a second..." she scowled, "What the hell are you doing in my room?!"

"I'm not looking, honest!" he shuttered, holding out her keys and bag, "You left these on the table and I just wanted to get them back to you!"

"Oh..." she looked down for a moment, "You can look, and thank you. You can just set it on the side table there."

"Uh...OK," he carefully set the bag down and looked around a bit, "I'm sorry I kinda broke in."

"There was no breaking about it," she turned and pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around her legs, "I practically handed you an invitation."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't have been in such a rush if I hadn't thought...Never mind. Anyway, why did you take off so quick on me? Your brother isn't even around," he questioned, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, it wasn't you," she slouched, "It was me. You obviously have no interest in me, and I can definitely understand why. I mean, I'm no where near exciting, and I hardly ever-"

"I thought it was _you_ who was interested in _me_," he broke in, blinking twice.

"Really...?" she looked up at him.

"So _are_ you?" they asked together, "Eh..."

"Well, I..." she accidentally rolled the teddy bear onto the floor, "Uhh..."

"I have one like that," he picked it up and looked it over, "I mean _had_!"

"Sure you did," she grinned slightly, "So...Are you...Interested in me...?"

"Well, yeah," he tossed the bear back at her, "What about...What about you? Are _you_ interested in _me_?"

She stood and placed the bear on her pillow, "I was...Until I thought you weren't in me. And now I'm not sure," she stepped up to him, "You're crazy enough to walk into _my_ house, using _my_ keys, and come into _my_ room, past _my_ Kingdra...So..." she seemed to stand deep in thought, "So yes I am."

"That's good," he smiled weakly, "Because otherwise, I'd be _totally_ petrified to do this," he leaned forward and pressed his lips onto hers.

She nearly stumbled, as she slightly fought back a step, but she regained her footing as he put his arms around her. A pink bubble watched from the window, grinning happily as Kayla reached up and wrapped her arms around Richie's neck. Mew bobbed side to side, then heard a slight thud from the porch and dashed off into the darkness behind the Gym. There was some laughter in the hallway before Kayla's door opened, followed by a gasp or two.

"Well-well-well...Baby sister..."

Kayla pulled away from Richie and looked wide-eyed at the door, "_Taylor_!"

*^~^**^~^*

Gary sat at a round, white table, his chin in his right hand and his left fingers drumming on the rim of his glass. Chenille had been immediately surrounded the second they'd walked in the door. Amateur breeders and trainers alike had flocked to her to ask her just what to do to get this, this and that in a Pokemon, how to breed an Alternate Color Pokemon, what Pokemon could breed with what other, and who knows what else, as she'd taken the liberty of leading them _away_ from him. She finally managed to pry herself away and worked herself a path back to him, sitting down slowly.

"I'm...Really sorry about that," she acknowledged, jingling her cup side to side, clinking the ice into the edges, "I tried my best to get rid of them."

"Yeah," he muttered poking a piece of ice in his own glass with his finger, "Ya' know, if you don't want to be here, you can go."

"What would give you that idea?" she questioned quickly, staring at him.

"Oh, come on. I'm not stupid," he shrugged, leaning back, "You made it crystal clear since the first second you saw me that you wanted nothing to do with me."

"That's not true and you know it," she puffed slightly, eyes narrowing, "_You're_ the one who made that stupid comment."

"And you countered it with your own," he pointed out, crossing his arms.

She scratched her left ankle with her right foot and put both hands around her glass, looking into it, "Would it help if I apologized?"

He looked up at her, "Yes, I suppose it would," he nodded slowly.

"So...?"

"So _what_?"

"Aren't _you_ going to apologize too?"

"_Me_? Why should _I_ apologize?"

"Well, like you said. I _countered_ your comment with my own, so you should say you're sorry too, for starting it."

"I already did, remember?"

"Oh yeah? _When_?"

"I told you before we even left the yard that I didn't mean to rub anything in."

"That's not apologizing."

"Then what-"

"Miss Farrago," one of the waiters stepped out onto the deck and quietly interrupted, "There's someone who insists he knows you and would like to speak with you, but I had direct orders from Mistress Hikoboshi not to let anyone disturb you."

"Then why are you?" she questioned pointedly.

"He insists he must speak with you right away," the waiter bowed his head and shook it, "Should I allow him in, or send him off?"

"Let him in," Chenille groaned, not even noticing Gary's look of utter exasperation.

The waiter disappeared for a moment, then returned, "Mister Willis Masaki."

Chenille nearly spit the sip she'd just taken of her drink right into Gary's face, but she managed to swallow, "Bill," she patted her chest, "What...Do you want?"

Bill looked left to right between Gary and Chenille, "I came to ask you to please accept my apology."

She shot him a filthy look, "I see no reason _to_ forgive you," she spat, crossing her arms, "You kissed my cousin _right_ in front of my face."

"I explained to you before that it was Janet who kissed me."

"I don't _care_," she puffed, "You held her and returned it, so start holding your _tongue_ instead of putting it in her _mouth_, and be silent and be gone."

"Chenille, I'm asking as nicely and as sincerely as-"

"It's not enough," she laughed acidly, turning away, "Now if you'll excuse me, Eevy specifically ordered we be left alone."

"Who's _we_? You and _him_?" he pointed to Gary, who cocked and eyebrow and ogled him head to toe, "No, Chenille. I can't let that go."

"You already _did_ let it go," she glared, "Mister Farland?"

"Yes, Miss Farrago?" the waiter stepped up quickly.

"Remove him from our table right this minute, and see to it that he does _not_ come back."

"Chenille, please," Bill tugged away from Farland's grasp, "You can't just banish me like this."

"She can and she will," Gary spoke up, arms still crossed, "Now I do believe the lady asked you to leave."

"And what say do _you_ have in it?" Bill asked, straightening his shirt.

"He has all the say he wants," Chenille puffed, "Now leave, _Willis_, before I have to call Officer Jenny!"

"You wouldn't do that to _me_," Bill puffed, standing as erect and serious as he could.

"Maybe _she_ won't, but _I_ will," Gary, acquiring the usual pompous attitude he pulled on Ash, standing as straight and placing his hands on his hips.

The two began a nice long "conversation" involving just who Chenille was supposed to be seeing while the aforementioned Breeder sat at the table, ordering her dinner, and the waiter nodded and explained some of the things on the menu. Finally, Gary raised a hand.

"Well _you_ lost her, so _you_ can _get_ lost," he huffed, shoving Bill back a few steps.

"Well _you_ can _get_ lost, because I've most certainly not lost her," Bill returned, pushing Gary away himself.

"Obviously Chenille's too good for you," back Bill went again, "Because you can't keep her."

"Obviously _you're_ not good enough for her," Gary nearly fell back into his chair at that shove, "She's much too pretty to be seen with..._Something_ like you. She needs someone like _me_ who can help her become the Breeder she wants to be."

"She's more than a pretty face, ya' know. She's got everything she needs on her own to be an exceptional Breeder. She doesn't need _your_ help, _my_ help, or _anybody's_ help."

"Huh?" Chenille looked up, as did Farland.

"There's no reason for her to _need_ somebody like you to help her do anything. _You_ just want her for her name and her Pokemon," Gary poked Bill right in the center of his forehead, "So, Mr. Brain, I suggest you take a long, one way, no round-about hike _out_ of here."

Bill stood a moment, rubbing his head, "Chenille, I can't leave you with _him_. He's nothing!"

"For your _information_, _Willis_," Gary retorted before Chenille could even open her mouth, as she wore the evilest of scowls, "_I_ happen to be the grandson of Professor Samuel Oak of Pallet Town. One of _your_ comrades."

When Bill's eyes widened enough for even Farland to notice, Chenille burst out laughing, "I'll be...I'll be leaving now," Bill choked out, turning and scuttling to the door, "You have my number, don't you Chenille?"

"Yeah, sure," she waved her hand at him.

"Good, then call me when this falls through," Bill glanced over his other shoulder at Gary, "Like you _know_ it will."

"Eh...Scat, you..." Gary waved his hand at him as he exited quickly with Farland directly behind to ensure he actually left.

He heard a chair screech back and turned partially around only to be catapulted at, "Gary!" Chenille shrieked, latching onto his shoulders, "I can't _believe_ you actually got rid of him! Bill _never_ gives up so easily!"

"Hey, it was no problem, really," Gary tripped back a step, suspending Chenille a few inches from the floor, "I just-"

She turned and planted her mouth over his, causing his eyes to go wide. Mew and Celebi both peeked over the edge of the awning of the deck and grinned as Chenille put her left hand on the back of Gary's head and he put his arms around her waist and placed her back on her feet. They pulled back slowly, releasing each other.

"Little does he know..." Chenille began, grinning nastily, "I burned the number I had his number on."

"Good," Gary snickered evilly, "Because I wouldn't want to have to chase him off again."

*^~^**^~^*

Vovo sat in the center of a round rug, a huge grin playing to the lens of Todd's camera. He stood and turned around, wagging his tail and grinning as the flash clicked again. He then pranced around in circles, chirping repeatedly. Eevy sat on the back of the couch beside him, her feet on the cushions and Lance beside her legs, and watched him live it up. As the Eevee put on a huge cheesy grin, his Mistress's cell phone rang. She grunted and waved to everyone and stepped out of the room.

"I _will_ catch a break someday," she puffed, "Hello? Hiya, Kayla!"

"Hi, Eva!" Kayla twittered giddily, "Listen, I'm calling on Richie's phone, so I can't stay on long..."

"Oh, you're using his phone, are you? At least I know it wasn't a total bomb then."

"Not a bomb at all!" she cried, "Richie is _so_ sweet. Even my parents like him," she hopped up and down repeatedly, screaming giddily.

"Why do I have the oddest feeling there's something you've yet to tell me...?"

"They like him so much, Eva...They're letting me go back to Pallet Town with him!" there was a loud crash from Eevy's end, "Eva, are you OK?!"

Eevy had fallen back and was now laying sprawled out on an Alakazam statue by the wall, "Wha...?"

"I know, it's really quick and all, but I really like him!" she hugged that same crazy teddy bear, "And you wanna know something creepy? When I left the restaurant before he did, I left my bag behind. But when he brought it to my house, he said something pulled it away and put my keys on top of it. The real kicker is I'd taken my keys with me and forgotten just my bag. Isn't that so weird?"

Eevy blinked a few times and turned slowly to her right, looking down the hall and out the window, "Uh, yeah, pretty bizarre," she waved to Mew, who shot off into the woods.

*^~^**^~^*

Todd turned around and held Beth's bag out to her, "The clip's fixed now," he acknowledged, "And I checked the other side and replaced it too."

"Oh, thanks. You didn't have to do that," Beth hoisted the strap of it up onto her shoulder, "Listen, Todd, about what happened-"

"Yeah, about what happened..." they both looked down and away, slightly flushed, "Your sister told me...Why you came to see me."

"Oooh, that little snitch is gonna pay!" she barked, clenching her fists at her sides, "She always-"

"Ruins things for you?" he finished, "Yeah, that's what she said you'd probably say if I told you."

"_God_, does she every butt-out?!"

"She told me you _asked_ her butt-in," he half-smiled at the frown she acquired, "If you're interested, I've been looking for an assistant to start doing the articles for my photos."

"Eh?" she looked back at him.

"And I think we'd make a good team," he put out his hand, "What do you think?"

She looked down at his outstretched palm, "I don't think it'd..."

"Work out," he shrugged, "I just figured it'd give us more of a chance to spend time together, seeing as how I'd like to see you again."

"What?!" she leaned frantically away, "You can't be serious!"

"I'm totally serious, Beth," he put his hand out farther, "Are you interested?"

"...Absolutely," she flung herself at him after a moment of pause, "Thank you, Todd."

"You're welcome..." he grinned mischievously, "_Bethany Anne_."

"_MIZU_!"

*^~^**^~^*

"Well, I officially got Kayla a boyfriend," Eevy grinned, stepping up onto the roof after informing Ash and the others of what Kayla said, "She and Richie seem to be going down the right road."

"That's good," Lance nodded, putting his arm behind her back and pulling her closer, "But you've been ignoring poor me all day."

"I'm sorry," she turned to him as he did the same, "Let me make it up to you," just as he tugged her toward him, her cell phone rang.

"I do _not_ believe that damned phone," he hissed, eyes narrow as she turned slightly away and drew the cell.

"Give me a break!" she spat at it before flicking it open, "Hello!"

"...I take it now is not a good time," Gary scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, Gary, hi...What's up?"

"Lots of things," he grinned, turning and waving at Chenille as she patted his Eevee's head, "Things went A-OK here."

"Really? Well that's a good sign," she patted Lance's chest to push him away as he attempted to wrap his arms around her, "So what's happening now?"

"She's looking at my Pokemon right now," he shrugged, "They seem to like her. Almost as much as I do. She's going to stay here in Viridian tonight. She has a Breeder's Meeting to go to tomorrow downtown."

"I hope you got her a nice place to stay."

"Yeah, it's called my guest room."

"Garick Oak, you sly devil you!"

"Uh...Gottagonowthanksbye."

Eevy snickered as he hung up, then turned back to Lance and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Now...Where were we?"

"I think we were about like this," he'd _just_ let his lips touch hers when the roof door burst open again, "Son of a-"

"Hiya, Morty!" Eevy waved, hopping away and toward her brother, "What are you doing here?"

"I've been meaning to tell you something for the past _week_ now, and I almost did it today in the diner," Morty snorted, "And now I'm just gonna let Eusine do it. Come on," he took her hand and she waved for Lance to follow.

Eusine stood in the center of the hallway, brushing himself off, when they approached from behind, "OK..." he popped his knuckles, "Now that you're here, Eevy, I might be able to do this."

"Do _what_?" the younger of his two cousins questioned as they followed him into the dining room.

Luri scampered up beside Mizu as Eusine waved at her, "Come on, Marina," she snatched Bazan's niece from Mizu's arms, "Let's go over here..."

Mizu looked to Eusine as he stepped around her side and pushed her into a chair, "Hiya, Eusine!" she grinned crazily, "What's up?"

"Zumi...Mizu..." he stood behind her, hands on her shoulders, "I know I screwed up before, and I know I hurt you, and I know I'm not the best example at pretty much anything, but I know I want to try and start doing things right, starting with you. You mean _so much_ to me," his grip on her shoulders tightened, then his right hand disappeared, "So, if you will, would you please be mine this Valentine's Day?" he held something under her nose, "And for the rest of them too?"

Mizu shot up straighter, staring down into the tiny box the dangled in her vision, then turned around and looked back at Eusine, who twitched a smile, "Eusine...Eusine, yes. Of course," she pulled him down by his shoulders, wrapping her arms around his neck and nearly wailing into his shirt, "Of course I will, you stupid idiot."

Eevy clapped her hands together, covering his nose and mouth, "That is just...Too cute!" she grabbed Lance and yanked him down, planting a hard kiss on him.

He broke away and leaned his forehead on her, grinning as she did, "Happy Valentine's Day, Eev."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Tatsu."

Sooney latched onto Tracey and Misty onto Ash, leaving Brock to hang idly in the corner. Luri leaned on Will's shoulder and Medira held tight to Jason's arm. Lisle had joined Morty and was now standing in front of him, his arms around her waist. Just outside the very end of the Gladiola River, under a round silver moon, Skiff had stopped his boat and joined Yuu-Yuu with a charm bracelet and their first extended kiss. On the very edge of the cleared yard of Rainbow Mansion, three new saplings began to grow, sprouting from the soil. Celebi and Mew hovered over them, watching over them contentedly. 

*^~^*End*^~^*

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A/N: Arrrrg...It's Monday the 17th and I'm just_ getting this done -_- Anyway, sorry it's so late, but here it is. Did you like if? I hope so. I've been working on this since _last_ Valentine's Day, but I kept putting it off. Naughty, naughty procrastinating Pro_V...Anyway, I'm off now to work on other things..._

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*  
-=O~Her Pokemon~O=-  
**Next:** Special Edition: Circa Unknown: Can you get anymore bizarre than this...?  
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TAA Pokemon Of The Month: February 2003: The Affectionate Mirokaruso

**Sorry, everybody! But I still don't own Pokemon!**


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